Summers while growing up Amish or Mennonite are all about preserving food for winter. Lots of canning, steaming and gardening is done during the summer and hard work is simply a way of life, not a drudgery. One thing about having a strong community like the Amish and Mennonites have, is the support families give each other, often the grandmothers, sisters and aunts will gather around a young mother or the elderly to help them get canning and freezing done for winter. This guide for steaming and freezing green beans is the way I was taught from my Mom and Mother-in-law, as well as a few tips I have gleaned along the way. If you think of any tips for freezing green beans that I have missed in this post, be sure to add them in the comments below!
You may also enjoy my canning recipes for Amish Pickled Red Beets, Pickled Banana Peppers or Cherry Pie Filling.
You may enjoy your freezer green beans in my Bacon and Cheddar Green Beans or in Slow Cooker Dorito Topped Green Bean Casserole.
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How to guide for steaming freezer green beans
Equipment
- Steamer pot (linked below)
- Mixing bowls (linked below)
- Tea towel (linked below)
- Zip-lock bags (linked below)
Ingredients
- Several quarts of fresh green beans (or any amount)
- Water for steaming
Instructions
- Remove the tops (and tips if you prefer) of the green beans, then snap them in halves or thirds depending on the size of the green beans. Wash the green beans, then fill a steamer pot with an inch or two of water and bring to a simmer.
- Once the water in the steamer pot is simmering, fill the basket of the steamer pot with green beans (you may need to work in batches). Cover and allow to steam for around 5 minutes, or until the green beans have darkened in color. As soon as the green beans have all developed a darker green color, remove them from the steamer basket and spread out onto a tea towel or shock in an ice bath (see note below).
- Tea towel method: allow the green beans to cool completely for an hour or two, then pat dry and package into sealable zip-lock bags, removing all the excess air from the bags before sealing. Label the green beans (optional) and freeze for 6-12 months. Ice bath method: cool the green beans in ice water for around 5 minutes, then remove them from the ice bath and allow to dry on a tea towel (you may also wish to pat them dry). Package the dry green beans in zip-lock bags, removing any excess air, then label and freeze for 6-12 months.
Notes
Equipment needed for steamed green beans:
- Steamer pot A steamer pot with a basket is needed to properly steam the green beans. I like to have a basket with a handle, because it makes it easier to transfer the steamed green beans onto the tea towel or into the ice bath.
- Mixing bowl A mixing bowl or two are needed when cleaning the green beans. I like to use one for the prepped green beans and one for the discarded ends.
- Tea towel A tea towel is useful for air drying the green beans once they have been steamed.
- Zip-lock bags Zip-lock bags are my preference for storing the green beans in the freezer. I generally go for quart sized bags, but you can also use sandwich bags or a larger size.
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Step 1: Remove the tops (and tips if you prefer) of the green beans, then snap them in halves or thirds depending on the size of the green beans. Wash the green beans, then fill a steamer pot with an inch or two of water and bring to a simmer.
Why steam the green beans instead of blanching?
Steaming the green beans (just until darker in color) will leave them more crisp than submerging them in water and boiling them. Steaming also preserves more of the nutrients in the green beans, whereas submerging them in boiling water will take away some of those valuable nutrients from the beans. I definitely recommend investing in a steamer pot with a basket, because it is (in my opinion) the best way to go for freezing veggies!
Step 2: Once the water in the steamer pot is simmering, fill the basket of the steamer pot with green beans (you may need to work in batches). Cover and allow to steam for around 5 minutes, or until the green beans have darkened in color. As soon as the green beans have all developed a darker green color, remove them from the steamer basket and spread out onto a tea towel or shock in an ice bath.
Why shock in an ice bath?
As mentioned above, I never shock my green beans in an ice bath, simply to save time and because my family doesn’t mind them a little softer. However, shocking the hot green beans in ice water will stop the cooking process and keep them more crisp than if they are simply transferred to a tea towel after steaming. If your preference is crisp tender green beans out of the freezer, then I would recommend trying the ice bath method.
Step 3: Tea towel method: allow the green beans to cool completely for an hour or two, then pat dry and package into sealable zip-lock bags, removing all the excess air from the bags before sealing. Label the green beans (optional) and freeze for 6-12 months.
Ice bath method: cool the green beans in ice water for around 5 minutes, then remove them from the ice bath and allow to dry on a tea towel (you may also wish to pat them dry). Package the dry green beans in zip-lock bags, removing any excess air, then label and freeze for 6-12 months.
Gardening tips for green beans:
- Straw: putting straw around green beans makes them happy campers. Straw keeps moisture around the green beans, reduces weeds and also keeps the birds or other pests from digging out the freshly planted seeds in the spring.
- Watering: Green beans produce the best during a wet summer. As you can see in the photo above, the green beans aren’t the happiest because it has been such a hot and dry summer. If you are facing a drought, the best thing you can do for your beans is to water them frequently, but only in the evening or early morning hours, because you don’t want the green beans to burn from being wet in the hot sun.
- Harvesting: The best tasting green beans are young, thin and crisp, not too fat. Once the green beans are old they have a tough and stringy texture, which is why I pick green beans several times a week while they are in season. You will want to aim for the longer, thinner beans to let the smaller beans have a chance to develop.
- How to avoid garden rash: If you have sensitive skin like I do, then you will want to wear long sleeved shirts and long leggings to avoid exposure to garden rash while harvesting your green beans or other garden goods.
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